Examine the importance of Russian weakness in WW1 in explainging the start of the revolution in 1917.

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Introduction

Kelly Mawhinney 08/10/05 Examine the importance of Russian weakness in World War One in explaining the start of the revolution in 1917? The outbreak of war was greeted in Russia, as elsewhere, with a spontaneous wave of patriotic hysteria. In fact, with its chronic socail problems, weak economy and narrow base of political support Russia and the tsarist regrime were deeply vulnerable to the strains of a long, draining conflict. The effects of World War One was combinely contributed too all of the three systems of Russia, i.e. The political, economic, and military. The military defeats casued Russia's downfall. The reason why this happened, was because even though the Russian army was big, it was poorly equipped. They only had enough weapons for one person between three (approxiatmatey) people. So that means there were three men to one rifte and when one person died the next men would pick up and fight, also many people only had a stick or nothing at all to fight with, which in turn was not going to win them anything. ...read more.

Middle

Food shortages and price rises caused widespread discontent. Also because of the war many people where moring from the countryside and into the cities, this causedthe cities to become overcrowded and people were living in terrible conditions. The cities that were wrost hit where Petrograd and Moscow. Disruption of supplies mean't that food, goods and raw materials were in short supply; hurdreds of factories closed adn thousands were put out of work; prices rocketed and inflation was rampant; also lack of fuel mean't that people were cold as well as hurgery. The urban workers beacme very hisstile towards the tsarist government. Also the peasants became increasingly angry about the conscrpition of all young men, who seldom returned form the front. The effects were felt in two main respects, Firstly, a mounting casualtly rate at the front. Overwhelming defeats in 1914, then the tremendous offensives of 1915 and 1916 accounted for casualties of some seven million died, injured and wounded and the depletion of the officer corps. It also meant that the newly renamed Petrograd was left with a garrison of only 160,000 inferior troops. ...read more.

Conclusion

On 11 March the Duma effectively assumed power, and threee days later establihed a provisional government under the liberal Prince Lvov. Nicholas abdicated on the following day, and his brother the Grand Duke Michael refused to succeed him in those circumstances. As Trotsky sneered: "The country had so radically vomited up the monarchy that it could never crawl down the people's throat again". The government was also weakened from the start be it's lack of credibility and authority. This was beacuse it had not been elected and had no programme for government. The Prtrograd Soviet had a better claim to legitimacy having been formed from representatives of the workers. It then expanded its base to include soldiers. The Soviet has considerable power, with its control over the postal service and railways in Petrograd, to the extent that it was difficult for the Pervisional goevernment to do anyting without its support. This point was illustrated by the Petrograd Soviet Order No 1, whish urged the soldiers to only obey the orders of the Government if they did not contradict its own decrees. All of these caused the revolution which in turn casued another revoultion a few months later. ...read more.

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